The government of Pakistan has officially requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to allow residents in flood-affected areas to defer electricity bill payments for three months. This decision comes under the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Millions in Punjab and Sindh are still struggling after recent devastating floods.
Finance Ministry officials said the IMF has asked for detailed information on flood damages before making a decision. The Power Division has been instructed to provide the required data this week.
The move aims to temporarily relieve households in areas where people have lost homes, crops, and livestock. Officials are also reviewing other relief measures, including assistance through the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and a dedicated flood relief package.
Authorities have declared an agricultural emergency and are expected to announce a special support program for farmers. Severe flooding in the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers has submerged vast farmland, displacing millions. The hardest-hit districts include Gujarat, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Muzaffargarh, Multan, and Bahawalpur. Nearly 6,500 animals have died, and crops on 1.32 million acres of farmland have been inundated.
An IMF mission is scheduled to visit Pakistan by the third week of September 2025. Officials are also exploring options to relax budget and provincial cash surplus targets because of the scale of losses. The government aims to help rural communities rebuild, following models used after the 2022 floods.
Floods have also disrupted the supply of perishable goods, pushing prices higher. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), weekly inflation rose 5.03% year-on-year by September 11, 2025. Tomatoes increased by 91%, sugar by 29.3%, wheat flour by 18.7%, pulses by 15%, and beef by 12%. However, wheat flour prices dropped by 10% after corrective measures in Punjab, slightly easing inflation.
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